Health & Safety Risk Management System

S22 - Personal Protective Equipment

Yearly statistics of mortal and major work accidents explain the importance of protection and prevention. Employers have a responsibility to provide and make use of personal protective equipment (PPE) wherever there is a risk to the health and safety of employees that cannot be adequately controlled in other ways. The main piece of legislation pertaining to all equipment (worn or held) including clothing affording protection against the weather, is the Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992.

PPE consists primarily of safety helmets, gloves, eye protection, high-visibility clothing, safety footwear and safety harnesses. The PPE procedure offers a more exhaustive list. Crash helmets and cycle helmets worn by employees on the road are not included as these are covered by road traffic legislation.

The HSE recommends that any purchased PPE is ‘CE’ marked and complies with the Personal Protective Equipment Regulations 2002. The CE marking signifies that the PPE satisfies certain basic safety requirements and may have been tested and certified by an independent body. Suppliers can give guidance on the types of PPE available and their suitability for different tasks.

In order to determine which types of PPE are required it is necessary to perform an assessment of the types of hazard presented by the workplace. The PPE procedure is a comprehensive guide for the responsible manager, whose duty it is to assess the suitability of PPE both for the work to be undertaken and for the employee involved. Employers must absorb the cost of PPE, however if an ex-employee fails to return items issued to him or her then the money can be deducted from any wages owed.